


Guardian Angel

by InvaderMAK



Series: Happy Hallownest AU [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Feels, Happy Ending, POV First Person, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:35:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24656200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InvaderMAK/pseuds/InvaderMAK
Summary: An unlikely hero saves a tired old pill bug from the depths of the blue lake. Said hero is a child bent on rescuing those in need, even at the cost of their own life. Much to the senior explorer's dismay, the little vessel is always on the move, wandering off towards trouble. Unfortunate for Quirrel, he is not one to let a child wander off. What has he gotten himself into?
Series: Happy Hallownest AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1782844
Kudos: 55





	1. The Hero

Alone I stand at the Blue Lake, gazing at its perfect beauty. It is such an amazing sight. I have come and gone through many kingdoms, but nothing could quite compare to the wonderous nature of Hallownest, or its inhabitants. The remaining mysteries to this kingdom, although tempting, aren't enough to persuade me...

I am accompanied by only the sound of water lapping against the rocks and sand. I truly do feel at peace here...and what better way to end my adventure could there be than this? With my purpose fulfilled, it is now my time. Planting my nail into the sand, I wish a silent farewell to Hallownest.

Slowly, I walk into the blue waters. Don't be afraid, I tell myself as I hold my breath. Deeper and deeper I go, and by the time I was fully underwater, I saw the beauty hidden beneath it all. The glistening rocks below the surface were polished to perfection, with the sand below a rich blue. I smile at this final discovery, before releasing my breath.

I fight hard to resist the urge to return to the surface, knowing I have nothing left to return to. My lungs scream for air, but I do my best to ignore them. I watch in silence as air bubbles rise to the surface, contrasting with my sinking body. By then, I was certain that my pale face resembled the blue lake itself. Soon, my pulse slows as the blue paradise around me begins to fade to nothing but shadow. I can almost see the darkness reaching towards me, an outstretched hand offering to whisk me away into the unknown…

...and I welcome it.

~ ~ ~

With the world suddenly returning, I find myself coughing and hacking up water. My body is soaking wet, with my sopping clothes clinging to my shell. I take a moment to catch my breath, before remembering what had happened prior. With astonishment, I realize that I am laying on the eastern shore of the Blue Lake. How did I get back up here? I take a moment longer to recollect myself, before finally sitting up.

The only logical reason I can come up with that could explain my resurfacing was that someone had saved me… but who? I glance around, only to find myself alone. I hesitate, before calling, "Hello?" My voice cracks, having been strained from all the coughing I had done. I clear my throat, before trying again. "Is someone there?"

Only silence follows. For a moment, I am slightly convinced that I had floated to the surface, and was still alone. That doesn't make sense though…how could I have floated back up when my lungs had been filled with just water? Whoever had saved me had either left, or was hiding.

"Please, I'm not upset," I say as I stand, "I just want to see who had come to my aid. Can you come out..?"

A sign of life finally shows its face to me. Out from an empty snail's shell steps a small figure dressed in nothing but green foliage. I study their features as they slowly approach me. Four leaves make up their apparel, along with a long, fat blade of grass having been tied around their neck to resemble a scarf. Their body is black, their face pale, and their curved horns stained green. Their speckled face looks at me with an expression that resembles either concern or sadness, or perhaps they are just shy. The latter became more evident as they refuse to get any closer than a few nail lengths away.

I search for the words to say to the little one. "Did you...help me?" They are quiet. I then realize that my question is answered just by looking at the child's drenched attire. "Oh, I see now...um...why go out of your way to save me?"

Their only response is a sad look. They appear as though they are about to cry. "I-I'm not upset," I say again, "I'm just...surprised." When only silence follows, I ask, "Do you have a name?"

The child looks down at the ground, saying nothing.

"Oh," I can only say. Then they look up again and point at me. "You want to know my name?" I guess, to which the child nods. "I'm Quirrel."

The little one glances at my nail still planted in the ground. They point at it and look at me. "Oh, that's my nail," I tell them. "I left it there because I didn't…" I can't bring myself to finish.

They approach me once more, shyness seemingly disappearing. Now standing just in front of me, they reach their arms out to their sides, clenching and opening their hands a couple times. The gesture confuses me at first. Could it be that they're asking for a hug?

I kneel down to meet their height, and before I know it, I am being embraced by a tight hug. They tremble as they hold on, as though sobbing. At first I am speechless from their sudden show of affection; I hardly know them at all, and here they are, clinging to me as though they were a lost child finally having been reunited with their mother.

Then it hits me. Is the child lost?

I finally give in and wrap my arms around them, which results in their relaxation. "...Little one," I begin slowly, my tone soft, "I'm sorry you had to come across someone who--"

"Stay…"

The voice catches me by surprise. "What..?"

"S...stay…" they say again, looking up at me.

"I…"

Once again, their eyes angle with sadness. I think I saw a small tear in the corner of their eye. I am left with no choice but to nod. "I will."

The child perks up, tears seemingly vanishing without a trace. They hesitantly release me, letting me stand. I slip off my bandana and wring out the excess moisture, leaving my antennae exposed momentarily. The child shakes, splattering me with the drops of water that clung to their apparel. I laugh a little in good nature, seeing as they had most likely been through a lot. After redonning my bandana, I pull my nail out of the sand.

"Thank you, my friend," I say to the child. "Shall we look for your parents?"

The child stares blankly. They suddenly grip my hand and pull me away from the lake. "Oh! Alright, I'm coming," I say as they practically drag me along.

I take one last glance at the lake. _Another time_ , I tell myself. _Not yet._

_ _


	2. The Warrior

Before us stands the corpse of an ancient beast, hollowed out to serve as some sort of shelter. After having to ride an elevator towards the drowning city, only to climb back up halfway to reach a hidden ledge leading to the aforementioned corpse, all I want now is to sit down and rest. Unfortunately for me, the little one wants no such thing, and begins to pull me inside the mouth of the deceased giant.

What a strange place it turns out to be. The first thing I hear is the chatter of a distant crowd, alongside the clashing of metal. An arena, perhaps?

The child was paying no attention to either of these, and was instead looking up at a poor creature who had seemingly gotten themselves tangled up in chains near the entrance. The latter, who turns out to be a merchant, confirms my theory on this place. Battle isn't my forte, and the promise of vast riches isn't exactly what I am looking for either. I politely decline, as does the child.

I turn my head as a warrior leaps up from the pit below us. They are wearing dented battle armor, a blue hood, and a determined, yet arrogant demeanor. They are armed with nothing but a silver shield, ready for combat.

"Ah, the shielded one!" the merchant says in greeting. "Are you ready to take part in our final trial?"

"I want you to hit me with everything you've got," he requests, "I'll crush every last one of them."

Big talk for an ant equipped with only defense...I would never admit that out loud, though.

"Wonderful! Go ahead and step over to the board and place your mark. A word of caution: not many ever survive the Trial of the Fool!"

The ant seems to smirk underneath his hood. "Try me."

The child's expression changes to one of worry and fear. They quickly grab the warrior's hand, causing the latter to jump.

"Ah-! Pale thing, what is the meaning of this?"

The child tries to pull him away from the board with no luck. He was most likely weighed down by his bulky armor. After yanking his hand out of the child's grasp, he turns to me with a frown. "Control your child, why don't you!?"

"Oh, uh…" I let out a half-hearted chuckle. "They're not mine."

"No go, stay," the little one tells him.

He ignores them, placing his mark upon the last board. Almost immediately, the gate to the arena opens. "I mustn't keep my enemies waiting," says the ant, before heading towards their possible, and most likely inevitable demise.

The child begins to panic. "No go!" they cry, grabbing hold of the warrior's hand again. "S-stay!"

"Give it up, little squib, I'm going," he replies sourly. "The coliseum beckons."

"Stay! No go! Live!" they beg.

The ant manages to slip out of their grasp again, leaving them to tumble backwards. He flashes them a glare, losing his patience. "I have slain all who have opposed me before, child! Do not tempt me to do the same with you!"

The child flinches from his shout. "S-stay…" they sniffle.

But the ant only turns away.

Before he can take two steps, the little one begins to bawl loudly. This successfully halts the ant in his tracks a moment later, fed up with their childish behavior. Whipping around to face them, he yells, "ALRIGHT, I won't go!!! Are you happy now!?!"

The child begins to settle down again, albeit slowly. I watch with wonder as dark tears roll down their cheeks. I've never witnessed such a thing before. They take a moment to calm down altogether, glancing in the warrior's direction every so often.

"What?" he asks in a harsh tone. The child looks away again.

"Don't be angry with them, they've clearly been through enough already," I say in the child's defense.

"Meh," he grunts. "...Well, are you here to fight, or just here to bother me?"

I remember our objective. I have my doubts that we could find the little one's parents in such a brutal place as this. Luckily, they seem just as eager to leave as I am. Taking their hand, I begin to lead them out of the hollow corpse.

I feel them slip away again as they run towards the warrior. He looks down at the child with annoyance. "What is it now?" he asks.

The child reaches their arms out, requesting a hug.

The ant grimaces. "Ugh, repulsive," he mutters, before turning his back on them.

The child's arms fall to their sides. With a look of defeat, they walk towards me again, meanwhile studying the floor. It saddens me to see them get rejected like that.

"It's okay," I say to them, taking their hand again, "not everyone likes to show affection." I can't help but to frown in the ant's direction, disgusted in his rude behavior. Without another word, we exit the coliseum, the child reaching an outstretched arm towards the ant along the way.


	3. The Angel

"Well, so much for finding your parents there," I mutter. I glance up at the tunnel's ceiling, thankful that the belflies haven't returned. Running past them on the way into the coliseum was almost enough to trigger a heart attack. Now the child grabs my hand, making me come to a stop.

"What is it," I ask.

The child points downwards, and I realize that I had been just steps away from plummeting down the elevator shaft. "Oh," I mumble, laughing sheepishly. I gaze down at the elevator sitting at the bottom of the shaft. Climbing up was one thing, but climbing back down? That was another story.

"Do you think there's another way down there?" I ask.

The child doesn't respond. I look back in the direction of the coliseum. Surely there must have been an alternate route we had passed by. I hardly notice the child's grip on my hand tighten.

"...It's probably not a bad idea for us to check baAAAAAAAAAAA-!!"

Suddenly, I find myself falling alongside my companion. The child doesn't seem to be panicking at all, while I, on the other hand, am beyond terrified. I never thought I would meet my demise like this! Shutting my eyes tightly, I anticipate the sickening splat.

Just seconds before hitting the ground, the child unveils a pair of wings, slowing our terminal velocity greatly. We slowly glide to the bottom of the elevator shaft, soon landing on the ground, completely unharmed. The child releases my hand, and I fight the urge to instinctively curl up into a ball. Instead, I fall to my hands and knees, shocked.

I catch my breath again with relative ease, returning to my feet. "O-okay, that was…quite the thrill!" I feel the child take my hand again. "Thank goodness you have wings, otherwise we would probably be--

"Aaand we're going back up," I say upon realizing we are standing in the moving elevator. I bury my face in my hands hopelessly. How much more is this kid going to put me through? The child looks up at me with what I can only imagine being a smile, but without a visible mouth, I can't tell.

Once we reach the top again, they pull me along towards a dreary place just beyond the Blue Lake. The atmosphere is melancholic, which isn't at all what I am looking for. Fortunately, the child heads straight for the stag station. Clearly they aren't up for sadness either.

The child stops underneath the station bell, unable to reach it. I laugh a little, before picking them up to give them a boost. Upon hitting the bell, the stag races through the tunnels, before skidding to a halt.

"Greetings!" the stag says with a smile. "Do you have a destination in mind?"

"Green..." the child says.

"Greenpath it is. What about you, scholar?"

"I'm with them," I say, hiding my surprise in the stag's remark. Perhaps he knows more about my past than I initially thought? _Another time…_

The stag nods. "Hop aboard."

I have to help the child onto the stag's back. They are determined to sit in the front, and, knowing the gentle nature of the stag (much to my surprise), I allow it. Once they are fastened to the seat, I take the one in the back.

"Hang on, this might get a little bumpy," says the stag.

In nearly no time at all, we arrived at Greenpath. I thank him after hopping down to help my companion.

"Anytime," the stag nods.

Once the child had set foot on solid ground again, they give the kind old stag a hug. Seeing this warms my heart. The child waves goodbye as they follow me out of the station.

"That was very sweet," I say to them.

The child smiles with their eyes.

"Greenpath is quite beautiful…"

They nod in return.

"...I hope you don't mind me asking, but...what motivates you to help the citizens of Hallownest?"

The child seems to jump, as though my question surprised them. They look away shyly.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I was only curious."

They stop walking. I do the same, returning to their side. "Is something wrong?"

That's when the child begins to cry.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," I say to them, trying my best to calm them down. Before I can say another word, they run away. "Hey! Wait, come back!" For a moment, I was willing to let them have some time to themselves, only to remember that they are just a child. They aren't safe anywhere in the kingdom.

I chase after them, afraid that they would trip and fall into a clump of thorns, bump into an undead husk, or even worse, fall into a pool of acid. I call for them, but they don't slow their pace. Soon I begin to grow tired, slowing my own pace momentarily. I'm getting too old for this…

Finally, I find the child sitting next to a small acidic lake. I stop to catch my breath. "Little one…" I say with a huff, "don't...run off like that..! I don't want you getting hurt!" The child doesn't move a muscle. "Little one..?"

I walk up to them. They are staring at the acid with sadness in their eyes. "Are you okay?"

"...Friend…" they say softly.

"What is it?" I ask, thinking that they are referring to me.

The child shakes their head. "Friend," they say again, pointing at the acid.

I don't understand.

"Friend...gone…"

Then I knew. They were trying to say that they had lost their friend to the acid lake. "Oh...I-I'm so sorry…"

Black tears trickle down their face. "F-friend...mattered…"

"Wait...you're not saying that they…"

The child breaks into a sob.

Now I understand the little one's motives. I know now why they had saved me, and why they wanted to save the warrior in the coliseum. No one deserves to throw away their own life...not even me.

I sit down next to them. "You're not the only one who had lost a friend," I tell them. "Lady Monomon was mine...and though I don't recall much of my memory, I do know that she was an amazing teacher." I feel tears begin to form in my eyes, and I don't stop them from spilling over.

"In a way...she took her own life as well...but it was for the kingdom. She entrusted me with her mask, which served as extra protection for her...her seal." I close my eyes. "I'm not...upset...with the one who took her life. It was necessary...for the good of Hallownest."

"Friend...mattered…"

"She did," I nod. "I miss her greatly."

I place my hand upon the little one's shoulder. "You're not alone, my friend. Neither of us are. You've helped me realize that, and...I thank you."

The child looks at me with sorrowful eyes. They wrap their little arms around me in a hug, and I return the favor. "Friend..." they say again. This time, I know it is directed towards me.

I smile, grateful for being granted a guardian angel. "Friend," I say in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the end, Quirrel decides to nickname this child Angel.


End file.
